Beer Bistro

What: Spicy Red Thai Mussels and Bison Burger
Where: Beer Bistro (Financial District)
Cuisine: Belgium
Affordability: $10 – $20

Pointers:

– This restaurant has a similar concept compared to Biermarket, they both have unique selections of beer to choose from and many food items are infused with beer as well. Surprisingly, the lunch menu is identical to the dinner menu, but the portions were quite large. Also make sure that you make a reservation in advance because the restaurant fills up fast during the lunch rush!

– The Spicy Red Thai Mussels ($18) were steamed in beer broth, coconut chili broth, la maudite, lemongrass, sweet peppers, lime leaf and cilantro. It was served in a cast iron pot which kept the mussels nice and warm, and a loaf of freshly baked Cantillion sourdough bread on the side.

– The broth had a really nice and rich Thai flavor, and the perfect amount spice. But near the bottom of the pot, or after having so many mussels, it was getting really really salty. The mussels were cooked well but a few of them still had the hairy bits attached to the mussel…which isn’t supposed to be served or eaten. The bread was rock hard and dry, I’m pretty sure its was not freshly baked because I can make a better loaf of bread than that!

–  The Bison Burger ($16) consisted a melted slice of brie cheese, sauteed shitake mushrooms and bean salad on the side. It tasted okay, but it simply lacked some salt.

– Overall, nice decor, convenient location, one of those places you visit once a year.

New Thai Fave in Etobicoke

What: Coconut Chicken Soup & Pineapple Fried Rice
Where: Mangosteens Thai Cuisine (Etobicoke)
Cuisine: Thai
Affordability: $7 – $12 per dish

Pointers:

– Tucked away on a corner in what appears to be a seedy plaza on the corner of Kipling (one block east) and The Queensway, Mangosteens offer a cozy, yet trendy atmosphere with a small but very tasty menu and very attentive servers.

– I had the Coconut Chicken Soup and it was awesome. It’s like chicken soup but not salty. It has a hint of sweetness from the coconut juice, which made for an enjoyable dish. There were also chunks of chicken and mushrooms were a plenty.

– For the entrée, I decided on just the pineapple fried rice. It had chunks of pineapple, large shrimps, chicken, green onions, and roasted cashews stir fried in Jasmine rice and eggs. That did not need any other main. That was a meal on its own. And what a dish! It had an explosion of flavour that complimented each other. There was a good balance of spices that complimented the citrus of the pineapples. A definite “must-have” again.

– Will I go back to Mangosteens? You bet! It’s so rare to find a good restaurant in Etobicoke. It’s good to find these gems and keep them in mind when trying to figure out what to have for lunch or dinner.

Surrendering to SukhoThai

What: SukhoThai Pad Thai & Nua Gra Teaum
Where: SukhoThai (on Wellington & Church)
Cuisine: Thai
Affordability: $10 – $15 per dish

Pointers:

– Finally got the chance to try SukhoThai after being refused delivery twice! We got there early for the dinner service (at 5) and by the time we left around 6:30, the place was pretty busy. I’d recommend a reservation if you are planning to arrive early. That’s of course if they’ll take it; they refuse delivery because they are busy.

– I had the Nua Gra Teaum (ginger beef on Jasmine rice with a fried egg) & my partner in crime (alicewei1127) had the SukhoThai Pad Thai. But of course we shared both. Our verdict: both good. The pad Thai was tangy, or slightly citrus-y, that made it taste really yummy. I sensed a bit of tamarind, perhaps, and the chicken was tender. The ginger beef was also very tasty but not over powering. It was also very tender and perfectly cooked, which went really well with the plain Rice and fried egg. I ordered mine medium but didn’t get much heat, however, proper hot sauce was available just in case you wish to add more heat to yours. Mine was perfect for me.

– I had the Thai iced tea. It was good, but I’ve had better.

– For appetizer we had the garlic tofu. Again, not overpowering garlic flavour. The sauce it came with had a nice kick to it that complimented the crispy batter over the firm tofu. We marked that if had a texture of chicken nuggets instead of the silky tofu version. No complaints on this one. Definite must try!

– Will I go back to SukhoThai? Probably. I want to try the curries. But maybe I’ll try the delivery again. Maybe I’ll have better luck.

Hit & Miss at Times, But Still A Reliable Clean, Good Food Spot

What: Fried Tofu

What: Hot and Sour Soup & Fried Vegetable Spring Roll

What: Ginger Pork
Where: Thai Delite (Etobicoke, ON/GTA)
Cuisine: Thai
Affordability: About $10 per dish

Pointers:

– I’ve been here twice, both for dinners, and the place had been empty. Don’t be fooled by the grungy look outside. Everything in Etobicoke looks grungy. It is actually simple, clean and pleasant inside. They even use cloth napkins. But this is your typical, run of the mill, Asian restaurant with the cash register at the very back of the restaurant before the kitchen. They don’t seem to have a uniformed staff. Or at least the two times I had been there, the staff didn’t wear uniforms. The server I got was new and it showed her lack of experience. But she made up for it with her smile. I gotta say rare in an Asian restaurant unless you are at a Filipino one.

– I had the fried tofu to start. It is your basic tofu and deep fried. This can be an appetizer for two and it comes with a sour dipping sauce. I like my deep fried tofu with hoisin sauce, but that is Vietnamese. This is Thai. I asked for soy sauce instead and that was fine.

– I ordered the Ginger Pork with mushrooms and vegetable stir fry. It was beknownst to the server that it was the special that evening and I didn’t need to order an appetizer. The meal came with a Hot and Sour Soup and one Fried Vegetable Spring Roll (pictured above). The Hot and Sour Soup was good, but I wasn’t totally impressed with the Fried Spring Roll. I gotta say, I’ve had better.

– The ginger pork was okay. It said it was fried before stir frying it with the vegetables, which I don’t think it is. I think it was stir friend along with the vegetables because it wasn’t crispy at all. The dish was swimming in the sauce which to some people may be too much. I didn’t mind it. I usually put some of the sauce on my rice. The dish also comes with a bowl of steamed Jasmine rice so that was nice.

– Overall, an okay restaurant to go to and dine. Even though I said it was empty, the traffic of patrons coming in and out to pick up orders was fairly steady.

Hit & Miss at Times, But Generally Good

What: Thai Royal Castle Fried Rice
Where: Spring Rolls (multiple locations across the GTA)
Cuisine: Pan-Asian
Affordability: $15 and above

Pointers:

– The dish pictured above can be a meal on its own. It contains tiger shrimps, chicken, pineapple, & cashew nuts topped by salmon flakes.

– Spring Rolls no longer offer free spring rolls on telephone orders. Only on online ones.